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Post by cogearhead on Jul 26, 2015 20:37:32 GMT
Good news! I adopted another pig, Rocky, from the local dumb friends league. He's a three year old long hair pig, mostly blonde with some white. I have his cage set up next to Fred's so they can smell each other and interact a little bit through the bars but I won't attempt to bond them until after I can get him to the vet for a checkup. Rocky came from a classroom pet and is very well socialized, in the shelter when I was getting acquainted he had no problems being held and even licked me a little bit. I'll get some photos up once he's had a chance to settle down and recover from the 40 mile car ride (I live in the country). Next step will be to read up on bonding again and figure out how to introduce the two boys to each other.
Thank you for the advice on the hay, I'll see if any of the feed stores in my area carry it.
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Post by 3piggles on Jul 26, 2015 20:45:37 GMT
That's wonderful! Welcome, Rocky The reason for the 21-day quarantine period is to make sure the new pig doesn't bring any illnesses in that would infect the existing pig. I don't thing anyone said anything about the quarantine, but since the main concerns are Upper Respiratory Illness (URI) and mites, if he has either, being in a separate cage next to Fred won't stop either from spreading. I'm sure the vet can check for a URI, and the mites will show themselves when they do, if they do.Enjoy your boys
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Post by cogearhead on Jul 27, 2015 2:03:53 GMT
That's wonderful! Welcome, Rocky The reason for the 21-day quarantine period is to make sure the new pig doesn't bring any illnesses in that would infect the existing pig. I don't thing anyone said anything about the quarantine, but since the main concerns are Upper Respiratory Illness (URI) and mites, if he has either, being in a separate cage next to Fred won't stop either from spreading. I'm sure the vet can check for a URI, and the mites will show themselves when they do, if they do.Enjoy your boys He was at the shelter for over a month and they have vets on staff so I'm hoping they would have noticed any issues like that. To be safe I can move the cage away to another part of the room until I can get him to my local vet. Fred and Rocky have been talking to each other between their cages, I can hear it from the other room. Rocky is playing with his pigloo (it's one of the chewable grass fiber ones), lifting the back of it up and carrying it around on his head.
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Post by bazookagoof on Jul 27, 2015 2:22:29 GMT
Rocky is playing with his pigloo (it's one of the chewable grass fiber ones), lifting the back of it up and carrying it around on his head. If you can get a picture of that, that would be awesome. One of my cavys turns his pigloo upside down and sits in it. He looks so triumphant about it. Whenever I hear a plastic fumbling noise coming from his room, I walk in there and see him looking like he's riding in a boat. (I'm working on getting a picture of that myself.)
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Post by cogearhead on Jul 27, 2015 3:38:37 GMT
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Post by Bean on Jul 27, 2015 7:47:59 GMT
Aww welcome Rocky! I have a Rocky too, and used to have a Fred.
I have a couple of pigs with hairy tails and I just cut them off - they don't really like being groomed if it's become matted, so I just keep them comfortable.
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Post by 3piggles on Jul 27, 2015 18:23:02 GMT
He's gorgeous! Bean is right about the grooming, but like clipping nails, if done on a regular basis, it never becomes a really big problem. I didn't answer about the loose leaf lettuce. Yes, it's fine. Iceberg lettuce not only has no nutrition, but is mostly water, so it causes diarrhea. Red and green loose leaf lettuce, and Romaine lettuce are all fine
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Post by cogearhead on Jul 28, 2015 11:03:20 GMT
Rocky goes in for his checkup today, I'm very lucky the vet could see him on such short notice. Is there a correct amount of times to handle pigs per day? I do love my piggies and they come out to watch me sometimes while I'm on the computer. Rocky is right now. I just want to pick them up and cuddle them for a few minutes when they do this, is it their form of requesting social interaction? Or are they just checking me out to make sure I'm harmless (because I was every other time doesn't mean I might be now ).
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Post by Bean on Jul 28, 2015 17:28:00 GMT
If they enjoy you getting them out, there's no limit! It's extra time spent with them which they will appreciate as much as you do. Mine are housed near my computer too, and often come over to have a nosy so I usually end up with one on my lap! Most of them settle down and relax - the only exception is Josh who's way too busy and energetic to sit still! He gets much more out of being out with you when you're sitting on the sofa so he can dash about and climb cushions, much more his sort of thing!
Hope Rocky gets a clean bill of health at his check up.
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Post by 3piggles on Jul 28, 2015 20:05:02 GMT
I totally agree with Bean. Most pigs show you fairly quickly, if they'll sit with you, or want to play. I have both, right now, and it's so much fun keeping up with them all
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Post by cogearhead on Jul 29, 2015 0:48:14 GMT
Rocky came back with a clean bill of health! Now (not tonight though, just a routine exam is still pretty rough for a guinea pig what with being lifted by a stranger and held so they can do the vet stuff) it's time to start bonding the two. I'm really hoping they get along. I'll try and use the webcam to capture some bonding episodes for more experienced folks to watch and let me know if there's anything I need to be aware of or if they're getting along OK.
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Post by jolovespiggies on Jul 29, 2015 18:33:49 GMT
Rocky is gorgeous love and I am so pleased that he has a clean bill of health, it is all such a relief for we mums. Good luck with the bonding, yes please do keep us informed.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by 3piggles on Jul 30, 2015 0:46:09 GMT
Excellent newson his clean bill of health, and good luck with the bonding
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Post by cogearhead on Jul 30, 2015 2:25:29 GMT
Attempt 1 (~45 minutes): After petting each pig I let them into an enclosure I set up with the cube grids I ordered one at a time. Once they had explored it I put both of them in there and put a large pile of hay in the middle. They seemed more interested in the hay than each other at first. After a few minutes Fred went up and started sniffing Rocky. Rocky walked away rumble strutting the entire time. Fred followed and before long Rocky was turning around and sniffing back. Both started making soft, rapid wheeks to each other. Rocky ran away rumbling and Fred pursued. Every few seconds the tables would reverse and Fred would be running. Rocky made a few attempts to mount Fred who didn't seem to know what to do (Fred has never been around another pig since he was first acquired by his first owner whereas Rocky has socialized with other boars). There was a little bit of chattering from Rocky. I put two pigloos, one in each corner, into the pen. Fred took one, Rocky took the other. Before too long Fred would go into Rocky's pigloo and try to be dominant. It seems Fred is much more confident with shelter available, whereas Rocky is always dominant.
After a few minutes I removed the pigloos. The pigs started wheeking and chasing each other back and forth, sniffing (I didn't see any attempts at biting but I may not have known what to look for however after the session I inspected and pet each pig and they were quite docile wherever they were touched) each other. Rocky continued to rumble. This continued for a few minutes more and then Fred starting making high pitched wheeks and hopping. He never approached Rocky while doing this (usually following Rocky coming close to him or him sniffing Rocky, is this a sign of a nibble/bite being received or was his nose just being tickled by Rocky's long hair/scent?). He would calm down after a few seconds and continue socializing.
Every few minutes a mutual hay break was called. After about 25 minutes I reintroduced a single shelter neither had seen (and bought specially for this purpose) into the cage because I know how Fred only likes going poo inside (he immediately laid a small mound). After a few minutes Rocky came over and lay down next to the shelter. Fred laid down inside. For about 5 minutes they just sat there, wheeking quietly at each other, then Rocky chased Fred out of the shelter. Fred took up station outside and Rocky rumbled and swayed inside. Fred proceeded to attempt to mount Rocky inside the shelter. Rocky ran out. Some more chattering from Rocky and I almost threw a towel in but as soon as I moved both pigs stopped and looked up at me. I backed off and they proceeded to continue socializing with no chattering or teeth displays.
At about 40 minutes in it appeared both had had enough time outside their cages. They lay down in one corner near each other (not right next to but within a foot). Fred lay on his side first and Rocky rumbled for a bit, then Rocky lay on his side and Fred wheeked at him. I'm hoping from the fact that there were only minor threat displays and maybe a few light nips at most (I really, really hope it was only a few light ones) that the two are going to get along with further sessions and I can eventually move them into one single enclosure. I tried recording the session but I'm much better working on engines than I am with video and as such had no sound and only half the cage visible after the first minute (I bumped the little cart my computer is on).
Also the pigs now occupy more than 1/4 of my spare bedroom. I ordered two packs of cube grids from Amazon. Within a few weeks, if everything goes well, they'll occupy over half of it. I am OK with this but will need to get some more bedding material.
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Post by bazookagoof on Jul 30, 2015 2:35:04 GMT
It takes time for them to get acclimated. My two pigs are gradually getting used to each other. I'm not sure if they'll frolic together, but whenever I put them outside to graze, they don't attack each other anymore.
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Post by 3piggles on Jul 30, 2015 17:35:03 GMT
Sounds like an excellent meeting. As Bazookagoof said, expect there to be flare ups or replays of the whole dominance dance. Pigs seem to need to make sure they got their point across How big is the current cage, and how big are you going. They will use all the space you give them, but if you want to minimize the footprint, you can add a mezzanine with entrances/exits. I had a 10' tube run in a 2x4' store bought cage, and my boys loved it. They like anything that lets them use their imaginations and get some exercise
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Post by jolovespiggies on Jul 30, 2015 18:34:40 GMT
We have just had our little rescue Piggy Merlin neutered but he is still trying to get to Lacy, it takes a while to work.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by Bean on Jul 30, 2015 21:41:50 GMT
Oooh that all sounds pretty promising, great news! I'm wondering if the high pitched wheeks and hopping you mentioned are just excitement - a sort of popcorning at the thrill of being around another pig?
I find that having two exit points for any hiding places can help head off any confrontations about hideys. Upturned cardboard boxes with two doors cut out are perfect.
Oh and hopefully you won't ever need to, but use a dustpan if you do ever need to separate - much easier and safer for your digits!
Jo, hope Merlin is recovering well from his op? Give him a cuddle from me please.
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Post by cogearhead on Jul 31, 2015 0:24:47 GMT
Oh and hopefully you won't ever need to, but use a dustpan if you do ever need to separate - much easier and safer for your digits! I'll keep that in mind, I was planning on keeping a clean pair of welding gauntlets on hand in case I had to physically intervene. I don't know if piggies can bite through multiple layers of leather but I'd rather not find out... And that's good that everything is normal. Probably no bonding tonight, 12 hours on an engine rebuild with very little sleep (insomnia) and I'm pretty well whupped, I'm afraid I'd fall asleep during bonding time and something bad would happen. Only cuddle time. Besides, the cages need cleaning after lettuce time (lots of poos, lots of healthy poos!). Hard to believe I changed bedding two days ago. I love my piggies so much, before I even bother showering after I get home I scrub my hands and arms and make sure the boys are taken care of.
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Post by jolovespiggies on Jul 31, 2015 18:46:06 GMT
I will do Bean love, he is fine thank you. Still trying to get to Lacy of course but that will soon stop.
Hugs JO xx
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